Vol. 506 No. 6
81 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the means testing criteria used in assessing the parents of students who apply for the summer student job scheme, including disregards for VHI pensions and mortgage interest relief; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16069/99]
To qualify for participation in the students summer jobs scheme, students must satisfy a means test which is broadly similar to that currently applying to applicants for unemployment assistance. In assessing means, account is taken of the parents' gross income less income tax, PRSI, superannuation, private health insurance, union fees, rent or mortgage payments and some travel costs. The weekly means are assessed at 17 per cent of the net family income or by dividing the net weekly income, less a parental allowance of £105 – £95 in the case of one-parent families – by the number of non-earners, e.g. children in the household, whichever is the lower. Those with weekly means assessed at £65 or less are issued with a job certificate.
I should mention that students in receipt of higher education maintenance grants or whose parents' sole source of income is a social welfare payment automatically satisfy the means test.
